


A Story Without an Ending

by tajn



Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, M/M, Reincarnation, Soft Jaskier | Dandelion, Souls, Spells & Enchantments, wild jaskier, witcher's live forever
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-21
Updated: 2020-01-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:07:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22343812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tajn/pseuds/tajn
Summary: it's not the first time that Jaskier wakes up on a stage with no clue how he got there. But, it is the first time that there has been a couple century long gap in his memory.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 44
Kudos: 228





	1. The Bard who Stole the Show

Jaskier awakened to bright harsh lights, a pendant in his face, a man nearly breathing down his neck and a snap, “Can you tell me your name?” is the first thing the man asked, glancing towards the darkness.

“Jaskier.” He answered while realizing that he is onstage with an audience ooh-ing and awing at Jaskier for simply stating his name. The most worrisome thing is that Jaskier has absolutely no clue he had made it onto the stage or where exactly was this stage. Jaskier shifted on the hard metal chair, very uncomfortable all around. 

“And what did you used to do for work?” The man asked a crooked smile on his face. He looked excited for whatever answer Jaskier was going to say. 

Jaskier really doesn’t think this is the time for such introductions but still this is a stage so he follows the prompts. “I’m a bard. Can you not tell,” Jaskier said gesturing to himself and his loud clothing. But when he looked down he was not in the lovely red ensemble that he had bought from Temeria a few days earlier. No, it looked like something the witcher would wear. Blue pants made of something between between cloth and leather and a drab black knit sweater that did nothing for his form. ‘What in the gods, am I wearing,” Jaskier said to himself as he pulled at the top. 

“Alright, Jaskier,” the crowd laughed again. “Nice to meet you,” The man held out his hand, but Jaskier was not inclined to take it. 

“Are you not going to introduce yourself,” Jaskier said crossing his legs and twisting away from this performer-although he really had no idea what type of performance the man in front of him was putting on.

“Right of course,” The man said. And Jaskier really wanted to slap the gleeful smile off this man’s face. “I am the Great Christopher.”

Jaskier looked the man up and down. He looked to be a few years older than him, maybe a few inches taller as well, his face simple but it had a mean look to it. “You don’t look very great.” the audience laughed and this time Jaskier smiled. If anything he would gain control of this audience. 

Christopher looked flustered. “Well bard, can you play any instruments?”

“Of course I can. What kind of bard can’t play any instruments?” Jaskier looked Christopher up and down. This man mustn’t be very intelligent Jaskier thought.

Christopher’s teeth grinded in a mix between anger and frustration. A classic emotion for almost anyone who spoke with an annoyed Jaskier for more than a few minutes. “What do you play?” 

“The lute.” Jaskier said. The audience laughed at a joke that Jaskier has obviously not been included in.

“Of course!” Christopher perked up. “Of course you do. But, sadly we don’t have a lute. Will a guitar work?”

“Where is my lute?” Jaskier said his face flushing in real anger. He had no idea where he was. No idea where his lute was and Geralt was nowhere in sight. This was most possibly the worst situation that he could imagine himself in. 

“Dude stop,” Christopher said pulled Jaskier close with a look of desperation . “Just play the damn guitar and I’ll pay you.” 

“Pay?” Jaksier’s purse perked at the thought. Jaskier wet his lips with his tongue. It had been far too long since he had performed. At least a fortnight with all the traveling he and Geralt had been doing. And a song would really clear his fouled mood. “How much?”

“10.”

“Fuck off.” Jaskier said. 

“20.” Christopher tried again.

“40.” 

“25.” 

“30 and I sing too,” Jaskier stood up knowing that he had won the bartering matcher,

“That was implied.” Christopher whined. 

“You said to play the guitar.” Jaskier said reaching out the young woman who had come running from off stage with a bizarre looking guitar. “Thanks, love,” Jaskier took the instrument in his hand and strung a few cords. He could make this work. 

“Fuck. fine. Make it good,” 

“I always do,” Jaskier cleared his throat and played with his tone for a moment. 

Christopher turned back towards the mumbling audience. “And now our bard will play us a tune,” the fake brightness stung Jaskier’s ears. 

“Be warned our other friend Julian has never played an instrument in his life,” More laughter.  
“What’s the problem if I’m the one playing then,” Jaskier said dryly. He was getting quite sick of this man and the audience. 

“There is no problem,” Chrisopher said. And Jaskier swore the man giggled. 

“Alright then,” Jaskier said begin to play one of his most recent love songs and second most popular. Jaskier extended the intro as the audience was captivated by his playing. Even the accursed Christopher’s jaw was nearly on the floor.

The fairer sex, they often call it ~ 

As Jaskier played, He looped around Christopher, who had lost his ability to move, with slow methodical step. Fully enveloped into the song and the performance, Jaskier allowed all the strength in his voice be known. He was going to prove that he was the only true performer on this stage. And by the time he reached the end of the song, Jaskier knew the audience was his.

She’ll destroy with her sweet kiss.~ 

Under the mask of the applause, Jaskier leaned over to Christopher. “Where is this place? Answer honestly because I do not need a witcher to beat the truth from you.” 

“...The school auditorium,” Chris looked at Jaskier as if it were the first time he saw the bard. 

“...I’ve never seen a place like this and I have seen many things,” Jaskier covered one hand to try and get a better look out into the room. “Is this Temeria or have you brought me to some other foreign land,” 

“This isn’t funny anymore”

“I’m not laughing,” 

“Julian you promised you would help out. Stop it,”

“Stop what?”

“Fuck,” Christopher hissed as the cheers dimmed. Christopher turned towards the audience. “And now, sadly we must say goodbye to our friend Jaskier the bard,”

“Bye?” Jaskier turned to leave the stage, again earning a laugh from the audience. 

“No. sit down on the chair,” Christopher dragged the chair behind Jaskier’s knees making his fall into the chair. “Okay- on the count of 3 you will awaken and have had a good experience and feel well rested. One, two, three.” Christopher snapped his fingers again.

Jaskier blinked. “I am awake.” 

“Julian.”

“I would rather be called Jaskier.” Jaskier repeated himself. Feeling something urk within him. 

“This isn’t funny,” Christopher waved to the crowd with a strong hand on Jaskier’s shoulder. 

“I really am done with this.” Jaskier pulled his arm back. “Would you mind telling me where Geralt is?”

“Geralt?”

“Yes. Geralt. Big brooding guy. White hair. You know the most famous witcher on the continent.” Jaskier said glancing around. “I really must be on my way because that dolt would leave me in a heartbeat saying good riddance and all that. When I his bard has done nothing but good things for him.” 

“You're not joking. “

“I may be exaggerating a tad but-” 

“No. You think you’re a bard named Jaskier.”

“I know I am.” 

“Fuck me. fuck , fuck fuck.” Christopher said the stress was clear on his face. “I’m so fucked. Dead. then fucked,”

“Are you alright, Christopher?” jaskier asked feeling worry for the man in front of him. He seemed to be in quite the disarray. 

“Dude, don’t call me that. It’s Chris. We are in advanced Psych together- fuck julian,” Chris really did look like he was on the brink of a breakdown in Jaskier’s eyes. “Okay, I’m going to ask you how you feel and you are going to say good. Okay.” 

Jaskier raised a brow in defiance. 

“And I will pay you an extra 20” Chris whispered. “So Julian!” His voice back at stage volume. “How do you feel?”

“… great!” Jaskier smiled. “Wide awake and perfectly normal and-”

“Thank you everyone for enjoying the show and please remember to vote for the Great Christopher!’ Chris said dragging Jaskier off stage and pulling out what looked to Jaskier was a small and almost flat metal box.

Christ rose the device to his ear and spoke into it; “Hey Jenn, It’s me. Yeah I think I broke Julian.”


	2. Mistake with a Capital P

Chapter 2

“You did what?”

“I think I broke Julian.” Chris admitted loosening the tie to his cheap suit.

“Who’s Julian,” the voice on the other end of the phone. 

“One of my classmates,” Chris shivered at the tone in Jenn’s voice. Jenn had always had a temper and she had the power to back it up.

Jaskier watched in awe at the conversation going on. It seemed as if this Chris was a mage of sorts (although not a very good one with how panicked he was at the moment). Chris had one of those magic communication devices that Jaskier might have seen mages use in the past. But glancing around the busy hall, Jaskier noticed that everyone had one. And they seemed to be common place here.

“And you broke him?” Jenn asked dryly. 

“It was an accident,” Chris said in an attempt to defend himself. 

Jaskier felt a bulge in his back pocket, he palmed the area and pulled out a similar looking device. “I guess who ever’s pants these belong to, left their-” Jaskier couldn’t even fathom a name for the device is his hand. “-Thing in the pocket,” Jaskier flipped the device and found only one area of weakness that he could press, which of course he did. The device lit up and little squares of pictures floated before him. “Hmm-” Jaskier said with interest. Maybe he had been around Geralt too much.

“Take him to the hospital then,”

“I don’t think the hospital will help,” Chris said. He knew that the staff would just turn him around at the door and laugh in his face.

“You know I was about to take a bath,” Jenn said. “You can hear the water running.”

“I’m sorry, I’ll make it up to you I- what are you doing” Chris said finally catching wind of what Jaskier was doing. The loud blaring music was the obvious hint.

“This is quite the mechanism.” Jaskier said his finger sliding along. “Like a book but smaller. And you just touch what you need to do and it just appears,” Jaskier laughed. “Look, it even plays music,”

“I swear to god if this is some sort of prank,” Chris said trying to snatch the phone from the ‘bard's hand.

“Is that him?” Jenn asked. Her interest obviously piqued from what she had heard. Chris heard the water stop on the other end of the line.

“Why would I play a trick on someone I didn’t even know?” Jaskier pulled the device away before Christ could take it;

“But you do know me, Julian.” Chris said. “Come on,”

“I believe we have been over this.” Jaskier said turned away from Chris. “And I am-quite frankly- over this as well,” Jaskier waved. “I hope our paths never cross again.”

“Shi,t he is trying to leave,” Chris said in panic into the device. 

“How is that my problem,”

“Meet me at The Tavern,” Chris said into the phone. “Everything is on me. Please,”

“Fine.” the conversation ended.

“Julian- Jaskier! Wait please,” Chris called after Jaskier. “Let’s go get a drink,”

~_~_~

“An ale please.” Jaskier waved to the woman behind the bar of The Tavern. The Tavern was the only place that Jaskier had seen so far that looked normal. He and Chris- which the man had insisted on being called- were sat at one of the wooden tables in the pub. Next to the was the large fire that warmed the establishment and facing the fireplace was the bar, which was controlled by a grumpy looking woman.

“Julian, shut up this isn’t funny anymore.” Chris hissed looking around the near empty bar.no one heard or cared thankfully.. “I'm sorry about my friend.”

“Don’t care,” the barwoman said grabbing a mug from under the bar and began to shine it.

“Am I laughing?” Jaskier’s features twisted in minute anger. Ever since Jaskier had woken up in this strange land, he had been continually pestered by Chris. Is this how Geralt thinks of me? Jaskier thought in horror.

“Your … ale.” the bartender said bringing Jaskier a robust metal mug brimming with beer. 

“Well thank you,” Jaskier said with one of his classic smiles. “Oh- On his tab,” Jaskier gestured towards Chris. 

The woman snorted a laugh, “Will do-”

Jaskier stood up abruptly before turning away from chris.

“Where are you going?” The phone in Chris’ pocket buzzed. Where in the Tavern are you, Jenn wrote. 

“To relieve myself if you must know every action I’m about to do,” Jaskier said.

“It’s over there,” Chris gestured toward where Jaskier has been going. 

“I do have eyes,” Jaskier said proving it by rolling them. 

“Be back in five or else,”

“Or else,” Jaskier mocked with his back turned to Chris, which made the bard fail to see Chris flipping him off. 

By the time that Jaskier has slipped into the bathroom. Jenn had appeared- quite litterally- next to Chris. As always, Chris didn’t know whether to feel relieved or scared. He settled for something in the middle. “Hi Jenn.”

“Chris.” Jenn sat at the table with her legs crossed. “I really didn’t think that I needed to tell you not to break people,”

“It was an accident.”

“Hm.” Jenn’s brow quirked. Her purple contacts boring a hole into Chris. “ Now, Where is the broken man?” 

“Washroom,” Chris said glancing towards the hallway with the bathrooms and did a double take. “Oh shit there, he’s trying to leave,” Chris jumped up to collect ‘Julian’.

I should have turned him into an eel, Jenn cursed to herself watching as Chris fumbled his way over to the “Julian.

~_~_~

“Well that was quite the adventure,” Jaskier said almost struggling to button his pants. He glanced over to where Chris had been sitting to see that there was a new addition to the table. For a moment, Jaskier thought of running away from the distracted man. But destiny had other ideas because Chris had caught him barely a step into running away. And, had quickly collected Jaskier. 

Jaskier decided that swallowing his sour mood was for the best and put on his most charming smile. This would be the first person who could potentially get Jaskier away from the thorn in his side known as Chris. “Hello, there! it’s pleasant to-” Jaskier turned to see the female companion and nearly groaned” Yennefer! I should have known you would have your fingers in my pie of misery.” Jaskier said retracting his outstretched hand.

“J-Jaskier?” Yennefer stuttered out. It had been decades but the face of the man in front of her was undoubtedly the witcher’s bard. Quickly gaining her composure, Yenn continued, “Is this a joke,” the question directed at Jaskier.

“Why does everyone keep asking me that?” Jaskier sighed. “I’m not sure if this is even real of just a dream after getting hit in the head one too many times.” Jaskier began to whine. “I mean everything here is strange and the only thing of a familiarity is you, which is never a thought I wished to have,” 

“Did he look like this before?” Yennefer turned to Chris. 

“He didn’t have the stupid look on his face.” Chris muttered. 

“HEY!”

Yennefer turned back to Jaskier and stepping into his space. “What did you do?!?” 

“What do you mean what did i do. I just woke up here. You can't blame me for anything,”Jaskier said beginning a monologue of how in all his life he only wanted to bring happiness yet it seemed like all life did was try to kill him or make him miserable.

“Then what did you do,” Yennefer asked. Clearly ignoring Jaskier’s dramatics.

“Nothing,” Chris said.

“Tell me now before I rip your skin off and let your bleed out” Yennefer warned.

“She’s serious. I've seen her do it before,” Jaskier exclaimed being broken from his musing. Feeling as if the odds had shifted in his favour with Yennefer around- even if it was only so slightly- gave him some courage.

“Shut up, bard.” Yennefer said.

“Do you two know each other?” Chris asked. After tonight anything could really be possible.

“Unfortunately” Both Yennefer and Jaskier said in unison.

Yennefer cast a glare at Jaskier. “So you telling me about how you broke him?

“I may have been using magic during the talent show” Chris admitted.

“As in what I told you not to do” Yenn said voice going flat. 

“It was 500$” Chris said in defence.

“Fine. What did you do. in detail.” 

“Basic hypnotism.” Chris said shrugging and taking a sip of his drink. 

“Basic?” Yennefer glance at Jaskier, who had become mesmerized by the flickering television screen.

“Basic. I told him to do the regular stuff. Have his feet glued to the floor. Make him feel as if he was flying, him think im naked. And remember a past life. Standard stuff”

“Remember a past life? 

“Yeah. Maybe the magic stuck to Julian to think he was this over the top annoying-ass Jaskier character.” 

“Excuse me.” Jaskier objected. 

Chris watched as the Jenn- or Yennefer as Jaskier had called her- said “Did anything else pop out?” 

“He had this charm or pendant.” Jaskier said once again piping in. “Green with gold and pretty little blue gems... that looks like the one my mother gave me- YOU THIEVING BASTARD” Jaskier exclaimed slapping Christopher on the shoulder. “You stole one of my prized possessions while I was under your hex. Is this the sort of company you keep now Yennefer? Why am I not surprised?” 

“It’s her pendant” Chris pointed at the mage that Jaskier was quickly finding justification to loathe.

“So” Jaskier pointed an accusatory finger at Yennefer “you stole from me” 

“Opps,” Yennefer had the tact to think that Jaskier hadn’t needed it for the last hundred years and at least she had kept it from decaying back to earth. “You can have it back,” Yennefer shrugged. 

“Oops she said,” Jaskier said in bewilderment.

“I thought it was a prized possession,” Chris asked. 

“I said it was a friend’s prized possession.” Yennefer said. “And look here’s the friend,” She tossed the pendant to Jaskier and stood up.

“Where are you going?” Chris asked. He had wholey been hoping that Jaskier would have been taken off his hands.

“Take care of him. I need to make some calls and do some … research.” Yennefer said leaving the crowding bar in a more human way than she had appeared. 

“You better behave,”

Jaskier opened his mouth to defend himself but was interrupted by a very angry voice. “Who the hell pissed in the garbage bin,” The bar woman screeched from bar. 

“... I think we need to leave,” Jaskier said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> is anyone surprised that Jenn was actually Yennefer .... 
> 
> anways this chapter was pure chaos to write... I wasn't even sure to post it. But next time it get a little bit more serious? the fluff-angst combo is you will

**Author's Note:**

> my little indulgence! Hope you enjoy! Let me know in the comments if this is something you want me to continue heh. 
> 
> _____________________________________________
> 
> my tumblr . https://tajn-and-the-witcher.tumblr.com/


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